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Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement

Introduction

A faulty motherboard can lead to a myriad of performance issues. Use this guide to help you replace a damaged or malfunctioning motherboard.

What you need

  1. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement, Rear Panel: step 1, image 1 of 1

    • In the following steps you will release the clips (highlighted in red) along the perimeter of the Nexus 7's rear panel.

    • Do not use excessive force while prying the clips. They can be easily broken.

    Edit

  2. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 2 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 2, image 2 of 2

    • Gently insert a plastic opening tool near the top of the Nexus 7 between the rear panel and the front panel assembly.

    • Carefully run the plastic opening tool along the top edge to pry the rear panel away from the front panel assembly of the Nexus 7.

    Edit

  3. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 3, image 1 of 3 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 3, image 2 of 3 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 3, image 3 of 3

    • Insert the plastic opening tool between the rear panel and the front panel assembly near the power button and pry up at several points along the right edge of the Nexus 7.

    Edit

  4. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 4, image 1 of 3 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 4, image 2 of 3 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 4, image 3 of 3

    • Pry up the rear panel along the left edge using the method described in previous steps.

    Edit

  5. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 2 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 5, image 2 of 2

    • Gently lift and remove the rear panel up off the front panel assembly.

    Edit

  6. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement, Battery Cable: step 6, image 1 of 2 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement, Battery Cable: step 6, image 2 of 2

    • Using the tip of a spudger, push first on one side then the other to "walk" the battery cable straight out of its socket on the motherboard.

    Edit

  7. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement, Speaker Cable: step 7, image 1 of 1

    • Peel back the copper ESD shielding covering the bottom of the motherboard.

    • Do not try to remove the copper shielding, as it is still attached underneath the battery.

    • If you're just replacing the micro usb charge port, there is no need to peel back the copper heatsink like in the photo, the speaker assembly can simply be moved out of the way once unscrewed. If the speakers are to be replaced simply peel back the bottom corner to expose the speaker connection. Leave the rest of the heatsink shield alone.

    Edit

  9. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 1

    • Using the tip of a spudger, push the speaker cable straight out of its socket on the motherboard.

    Edit

  10. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement, Power & Volume ZIF Connector: step 9, image 1 of 1

    • Peel back the label covering the power and volume button ZIF connector.

    Edit

  11. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 10, image 1 of 2 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 10, image 2 of 2

    • Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the power and volume button ribbon cable ZIF socket.

    • Make sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

    • Use the tip of a spudger to pull the power and volume button ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

    Edit

  12. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement, Motherboard Assembly: step 11, image 1 of 2 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement, Motherboard Assembly: step 11, image 2 of 2

    • Carefully peel back the adhesive tape covering the I/O board ribbon cable socket on the motherboard.

    Edit

  13. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 12, image 1 of 2 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 12, image 2 of 2

    • Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the I/O data ribbon cable ZIF socket.

    • Make sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

    • Use the tip of a spudger to pull the I/O data ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

    Edit

  14. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 13, image 1 of 1

    • Peel back the adhesive tape covering the display and digitizer cable sockets.

    • It is not necessary to completely remove the adhesive, but it is helpful to fold it back on itself to get it out of the way.

    Edit

  15. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 14, image 1 of 1

    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the display data cable straight up off its socket on the motherboard.

    Edit

  16. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 15, image 1 of 3 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 15, image 2 of 3 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 15, image 3 of 3

    • Use the flat end of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flaps on the digitizer ribbon cable ZIF sockets.

    • Make sure you are flipping up the retaining flaps, not the sockets themselves.

    • Use the tip of a spudger to pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

    Edit

  17. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 16, image 1 of 2 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 16, image 2 of 2

    • Use the tip of a spudger to remove the warranty seal stickers.

    Edit

  18. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 17, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the following screws securing the motherboard to the metal frame:

    • Six 3.25 mm silver Phillips screws

    • One 2.23 mm black Phillips screw

    Edit

  19. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 18, image 1 of 2 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 18, image 2 of 2

    • Carefully lift the motherboard assembly out of the Nexus 7, minding any cables that may get caught.

    Edit

  20. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement, Motherboard: step 19, image 1 of 1

    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the front-facing camera straight off of its socket on the motherboard.

    Edit

  21. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 20, image 1 of 2 Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 20, image 2 of 2

    • Carefully pull the upper microphone straight up off its socket.

    • In a similar fashion, remove the rubber lower microphone gasket from the motherboard.

    Edit

  22. Nexus 7 Motherboard Replacement: step 21, image 1 of 1

    • Motherboard remains.

    Edit
Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

40 other people completed this guide.

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Brett Hartt

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16 Comments

Very helpful and 100% accurate. Thanks

PC452 - Reply

I agree - very good guide, and perfect to have all those high-res photos! For reassembly, make sure you insert the ZIF cables all the way before locking them - at first try my touch-screen did not work. Another attempt at inserting the digitizer ribbon cable did the trick.

Lars L - Reply

Very good guide.

When peeling back the tape in various steps, it's quite easy to tear it and the replacement motherboard I had didn't come with any new tape. I used electrical tape to secure the cables and components as they were originally and it seemed to work fine.

Additionally, since my broken unit had been unused for a while, the battery was totally dead. It took a while for it to show signs of life (left it plugged in for 30+ minutes) and I found that holding the power button and pressing the volume down button together for a few minutes also helped to bring it back into action.

Tariq Khokhar - Reply

How long did you need to hold down the power buttons? Literally minutes, or was it 1 min or 20 sec or something like that?

My Nexus 7 2012 sat unused for probably 6+ months. I replaced the motherboard following these directions, and have triple-checked that everything is connected correctly. The battery is getting charge--the wall plug and device feel warm when it's plugged in. However, unable to get any response out of the device. I've held all combinations of buttons (I seem to remember getting into boot mode with volume up + power) but nothing happens.

jesvanv -

Worked for me guys. Awesome guide! What do you do with the old motherboard- trash basically?

cfclay - Reply

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